Food System Summer School Design Ideas Sustainable Food Systems

World Food System Summer School 2026:
Design Ideas for Sustainable Food Systems

The World Food System Center at ETH Zurich invites students to apply for its World Food System Summer School 2026
, a two-week immersive interdisciplinary program focused on designing solutions for sustainable food systems in a rapidly changing world.

Held in Zurich, Switzerland
, this intensive summer school brings together 40–50 motivated students from diverse academic backgrounds to explore global and local food system challenges through systems thinking, project-based learning, and real-world collaboration
.

Summer School takes place at PBLabs
, a creative learning space designed for experimentation and project-based education. Participants engage with food system challenges across ecological, economic, social, political, and cultural dimensions, working closely with external stakeholders such as researchers, producers, policymakers, industry partners, and civil society actors.

Through a mix of lectures, workshops, case studies, excursions, group projects, and social activities
, students co-create innovative ideas to support food system transformation. A dedicated Media and Methods Lab supports participants in communicating their ideas using visual and auditory storytelling tools
, enabling them to pitch solutions effectively.

The program is supported by the Innovedum Fund and guided by an interdisciplinary faculty team and experienced facilitators, ensuring a rich and supportive learning journey.

• Explore key challenges, opportunities, and innovations in global and local food systems
• Apply food systems thinking across environmental, social, political, and economic dimensions
• Collaborate in interdisciplinary and cross-sector teams on real-world case studies
• Use creativity, design thinking, and systems mapping to co-create solutions
• Develop skills in visual and auditory storytelling to communicate and pitch ideas for change

• Course Dates: 29 June – 10 July 2026
• Location: ETH Zurich, Switzerland (including excursions)
• Format: In‑person, full‑time, immersive program
• Language: English
• Credits: 4 ECTS + Certificate of Completion (awarded by ETH Zurich)
• Tuition: Free of charge

• Must be currently enrolled in a Swiss higher education institution (minimum 3rd‑year Bachelor, Master’s, or PhD), or have recently graduated from one of these institutions.
• Students from ENHANCE Alliance partner universities are also eligible.
• Priority is given to ETH Zurich students, with a limited number of places available to students from other Swiss institutions and ENHANCE partners.
• Program aims to create a cohort diverse in discipline, gender, nationality, culture, and life experience.

• Strong interest in sustainable food systems
• Motivation for interdisciplinary and cross‑sector collaboration
• Openness to diverse perspectives
• Relevant academic or practical experience

• Final date to receive applications: 25 January 2026
• Submission must include CV (PDF), a short video (max 2 minutes) introducing yourself, your studies, and motivation, and the completed application form.
• All applicants (including ETH Zurich students) must submit a full application. The process is competitive.
• Costs: Local travel and all program‑related activities are covered. Accommodation, travel to/from Zurich, and meals are not covered. No scholarships available for personal expenses.

The World Food System Center at ETH Zurich works toward a vision of a healthy world supported by sustainable food systems. It brings together professors from multiple departments to advance interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach in collaboration with partners across sectors.

ETH Zurich
, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is one of the world’s leading universities in science and technology, hosting over 25 000 students from more than 120 countries.

Join a global community of changemakers and help design the future of sustainable food systems.